Opportunity Scholarship
The Opportunity Scholarship helps North Carolina families pay for tuition and other required fees to attend registered private schools.
Opportunity Scholarship
The Opportunity Scholarship helps North Carolina families pay for tuition and other required fees to attend registered private schools.
Program Update, 9/2/26:
August 21, 2026 - NCSEAA sent the last group of scholarship award offers to eligible families for the 2026-27 school year. If your family received an award offer dated August 21, please review the deadline below.
September 11, 2026 - This is the final deadline to accept or decline scholarship offers that were issued on August 21, 2026. Deadlines for this group — and for all earlier award groups — are final and cannot be extended.
Looking Ahead - Save the date: The application for the 2027–28 school year will open on the first Monday in February.
About the Program
Have questions? You’re in the right place. Since 2014, we’ve helped families across North Carolina apply for educational funds through the Opportunity Scholarship.
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Who can apply for an Opportunity Scholarship?
North Carolina families of students entering kindergarten through 12th grade.
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How much money is it?
Awards range from approximately $3,000 to $7,000, based on a family’s household income.
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How can the money be used?
The money can be used to pay for tuition and other required fees to attend registered private schools.
How to Apply
Visit the How to Apply page for Eligibility Requirements and information to help you apply for the Opportunity Scholarship.
Important Dates & Deadlines
Already awarded?
If you’ve already received your award you can learn more about next steps and find additional resources.
Resources
Additional Resources
Find further resources and information about the Opportunity Scholarship program, how it works, how to apply and what the requirements are.
Frequently asked questions
No, but more than 700 schools are currently registered to receive program funds. We call these “Direct Payment Schools”. Find a school on the list of Direct Payment Schools.
No. Students are not required to be enrolled in a private school when they apply. However, Opportunity Scholarship funds can only be used for tuition and fees at registered private schools. If a student is awarded a scholarship, they must be enrolled in and attending a registered private school, also known as a Direct Payment School, by October 1 to use scholarship funds for the fall semester.
Yes. Families relocating to North Carolina may apply for the Opportunity Scholarship as long as they are physically residing within the State at the time of enrollment in the nonpublic school and meet residency documentation requirements no later than October 1.
Not always. The scholarship amount varies by award tier and may not cover the full cost of tuition and fees of every school. If a school’s tuition and fees exceed the student’s award amount, families are responsible for paying the difference.